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Help Identify my Plant Problem

1K views 7 replies 6 participants last post by  tuffgong 
#1 ·
Hi Everyone,

So I have recently set up my first planted tank and found most of my plants are looking unhealthy. I was hoping someone with more experience could explain what I might be doing wrong.

The plants are turning yellow/brown in areas. I planted Sagittaria subulata and Dwarf Hair Grass only 4 days ago and they have also turned yellowy. As well as this the rocks I have in my tank are developing brown spots. (please see images)

Tank Set up: 2 weeks
Size: 100L
Substrate: Aquasoil (1cm-5cm), capped with fine gravel/sand (1-2cm)
pH: 8.2
Ammonia: 0ppm
Nitrite: 0ppm
Nitrate: 2.5ppm
Lighting: Two 23W CFL's @ 6500k
Co2: None
Temp:22C
Filter: External 1000L/ph
Dosing: None so far
 

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#2 ·
Your Plants

Hello be...

I like to keep my planted tanks simple, because there's not much that can go wrong. Check the lighting requirement of the plants. Most aquarium plants will do fine with simple florescent bulbs, either 32 watt T8s or 40 watt T12s. Get the watts close to 2 for every gallon of tank size. This will be roughly 200 watts.

Plants are sensitive to being moved. Most will die back and new leaves will grow, some don't recover. Give them time to adjust to your water conditions.

Things like pH, hardness and all that chemistry stuff is unimportant. What is important is keeping the tank water clean and high in minerals. Change half the water in the tank at least weekly.

If you have no fish in the tank, then dose a good liquid and use root tabs per the instructions. If you have fish, just feed them a good diet every day and let them fertilize the plants. I don't care for commercial ferts, they tend to mess up the tank water and believe me, keeping a successful tank is 99 percent about pure water conditions.

Try some of these if you like. These work in my planted tanks.

Just one reporter's opinion though.

B
 
#3 ·
Hi B,

Thanks for your response. Yes I am trying to keep it as simple as possible to start off. My lighting is currently at 1.9W/G. I have not moved any plants around. I have done weekly water changes.

Referring to the images can anyone actually identify what the discolouring in my tank is, on both the plants and the rocks?

Thanks,
Ben
 
#4 ·
Your tank is new and till it settles down you will have green algae and brown diatoms. Its usual and nothing to worry about at this stage. Only 4 days from planting - wait a week before you see your plants are growing or not. You do not have very strong lights for your tank and you also are not supplying any CO2 supplementation. This may cause some limitation in plant growth - the growth will certainly be slow and you will need more patience - but not anything to be disheartened about.
 
#7 ·
Hi Everyone,

So I have recently set up my first planted tank and found most of my plants are looking unhealthy. I was hoping someone with more experience could explain what I might be doing wrong.

The plants are turning yellow/brown in areas. I planted Sagittaria subulata and Dwarf Hair Grass only 4 days ago and they have also turned yellowy. As well as this the rocks I have in my tank are developing brown spots. (please see images)

Tank Set up: 2 weeks
Size: 100L
Substrate: Aquasoil (1cm-5cm), capped with fine gravel/sand (1-2cm)
pH: 8.2
Ammonia: 0ppm
Nitrite: 0ppm
Nitrate: 2.5ppm
Lighting: Two 23W CFL's @ 6500k
Co2: None
Temp:22C
Filter: External 1000L/ph
Dosing: None so far
Co2. What resources did you read before starting, because it looks like you skipped the chapter covering the importance of that gas. Your filter is overkill and probably driving out any co2 that might be in the water. Frankly, filters aren't absolutely necessary with a heavily planted tank. Your lighting is probably also part of the problem, too much. If you add co2 I think that may solve the situation. If that works then reduce or eliminate the filter only if you don't overstock with fauna. In its place get two waterpumps, but not high rated gph your tank is too small for two.
 
#8 ·
Dwarf Hair Grass and Dwarf Sag both do their best under high light and good supplies of CO2 and nutrients in the soil. They can be grown in other conditions but they will get quit leggy due to the lack of light. Eventually you will want to, at least, start using some form of CO2, even if it's liquid, to keep any algae away. Right now things don't look too bad, but keep a close eye on it and be ready to reduce your photoperiod if you do see any significant algae growth.
 
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